Police detain 4 in U.S. Consulate attack

ISTANBUL, Turkey, July 11 (UPI) -- Four people have beendetained in the shooting outside of the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul,Turkey, that left six dead and four injured, a Turkish officialsaid.

Turkish Interior Minister Besir Atalay said the number ofdetainees could rise as the investigation continues, but did notcomment on any links to who was behind the assault that Turkish andU.S. officials called a terrorist attack, The New York Timesreported Friday.

Three gunmen and three police officers were killed in theshootout Wednesday at a police guard post outside of the consulate,while a fourth assailant escaped in a car.

"Right now, there are four people under custody," Atalaysaid Thursday. "Three of them are in Istanbul, and the fourth onewas brought from outside Istanbul."

What roles the four detainees may have played in the attackwas unclear, the Times said. No one has claimed responsibility forthe attack.

Police found an abandoned gray Ford, similar to the carreported driven from the scene, in an eastern neighborhood near theairport, the Anatolian news agency said.

Two armored police buses were stationed outside theconsulate Thursday and an American flag flew at half-staff.